Anti-skid chain for automotive vehicle tires



r May 21, 1957 J. BASILE l ANTI-SKID CHAIN FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE` TIRES Filed Nov. 17. 1955 n hihi/Ze \rc u INVENToR ltire.

United States Patent O ANH-.smh cHArN Foa Amorrortu VEHICLE,` TIRES Joseph Basile, Chicago,v ill. Application November: l?, 195,3., Serial No..` 322.58% 4 Claims. (ol. 15a-21g) This invention relates to anti-skid chains for automotive vehicle tires.

The prin-cipal object of this invention is to provide an .improved anti-skid chain for automotive vehicles which is simple to apply and remove, which is adjustable to rit differentsizedH tires, which eliminates pounding of pavements and reduces wear resulting therefrom, which Srttsly fits the tirs` but which Separates Slightly' there from at highV speeds to prevent burning of the` tire, which prevents slapping of` fenders and the likeJ which will not inadvertently slip off `of the tire, and which may be inexpensively manufactured.

Brieily,` the antrhskid chain of` this invention includes a first stil wire preformed into a substantially cir-colar configuration adaptedr to be located on one side of the tire, a second 'stii wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and adapted `to he located on the other side ofA the tire, and ya plurality of chains connected at their ends to the two stii wires and adapted tgo overlie the tread of 'the tire. A plurality of spacers areA located on the two stii wires and are interposedbetweeln the plurality of chains for spacing the chains along the two stiff wires.` These spacers are preferably in .the form of closely wound coil springs to provide a slightly resilient spacing means for the chains and yet limit the amount of movement of the chains along the two wires.

Means including la snap hook are provided `for detachably afwatering tsether the ends @t the first. stift wire, and meters athletes a Strap. hechar: also provided tsr detaohalily` connecting together the ends of the'` second Wirrylift, this way the. stativ-Skid chain. Gif his invertir?? wi its iff Wirst and` heck means may be readily arrlied to and restwert from the tire The. ends Ot the first Stiff wir@ are Provided with eyes a. plurality of linkt are Secured to Qrls 9i the eyes, ttd a snap hook is secured to the other eye and detachahly receives one of the links for adjustably and detachabfly Securing together the ends of the first. Stiff wir@ This makes the anti-skid chain of this invention adjustable to tit different sized tires.

The ends of l the second still? wire are also provided with eyes. A coil spring is secured at one end to one. of kthe eyes and `a snaphook is `secured to 'the other end of the coil spring for detachably receiving the othereye for detachably and resiliently securing together the ends of the sec-ondstfii wire. This makes the. chains it snugly against Ithe tire and yet allows the chains to separate from the tire at high -speed to prevent burning of the A cable connects @together the rst eye and the `snap hook to limit the extent of stretching of the coil spring. This edectively prevents pounding of pavements and reduces wea-r resulting therefrom and also prevents 4slapping of lfeuders and the like. It also aids in preventing excessive slipping of the chains with respect to the tire which might result in the anti-skid chain slipping off the tire. i

Further objects of `this invention reside in the details Patented May 21, 1957 2 of' Aconstruction of the anti-skid `chain and in the cooperative relationships `between the component parts thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will lhecorrie apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference tothe accompanying specification, claims and drawing, in which:`

Fig l is an elevational view illustrating the anti-skid chain of this invention applied to an automotive vehicle tire;

-IFig. 2 is a sectional view through a portion of an automotive vehicle tire illustrating the `anti-'skid chain of` this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a partial view of the anti-skid chain;

yFig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the manger ih whichfthe chains are carried `by the stiff` wires and spaced apart;

"FiglY 5^ is a sectional view through the coil spring assoc iated with one of the stiff wires.

The anti-skid chain of this invention 'is generally designated at 10 and is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 applied to anautomotive vehicle tire 11 carried by a suitable rim 12.` The anti-skid chain 10 includes a .first stiff wire 144 and a second stift wire 15. These` still wires arev preformed and heat treated into a substantially circular configuration and are adapted to be located respectively on'opposite sides of the tire 11 as illustrated in Figs. 1 Iand 2l. A plurality of chains 16 are connected at their ends by suitable eyes 17 to the stiff wires 1 4 and 15` and these chains are adapted to ove-rlie the tread of the tire, l1, A plurality ofv spacers 19 are located on the two stii wires 14 and 1SA between the eyes 17- of the chains 16 ifor spacing the chains alohg lthe two stiff wires. rl`hese spacers 19 are preferably in the form of closely wound coil Vsprings and engage the eyes 17 of the cha-ins lo through `washers 20 `to provide -aV slightly resilient spacing means :Eor the chains and yet limit the amount of movement of the chains along the two 4stili wires.

The ends `of the preformed stiff wire '14 are provided with eyes A22 and 23. A plurality of links 24 are sc cured to the eye 22, and a snap hook 25 having a hook portion 26 is secured to the eye 23,. The hook portion 26 of the snap hook 25 is adapted to he received in the eye U22 or one or the other of the links `211 for adjustably and detachably securing together the ends of the stiff wire 14. This arrangement males possible thel adjustment :of 1tlieanti-skid chain to ht different sized tires.

`hoolg portion 32 is secured to the other end of the coil springit). Ilhe hook portion 32 :of the snap hook 31 is yadapted to Ireceive tthe eye 28 for detachably and resiliently securing together the ends `of the stil wire 15. In so doing, :the spring Sil is stretched to cause the chains 1d to -iit 'snugly yagainst the ltire and yet, allows the chains to separate slightly from the tire as the tire is `rotatedat high speeds to prevent burning of the tire. A estela $3; @steeds 'through the eye 29 and the snep 'hook 31 `and `has its ends secured together by -a suitable cable clamp 34 within the spring Sil. This cable 33 connects together the eye 29 and the snap hook 3l and operates to :limit the extent of stretching of the coil spring 30. This effectively prevents pounding of pavements and reduces wear resulting therefrom and also prevents slapping of fenders and :the l-ike. It also aids in preventing excessive slipping of the chains with respect to the tire which might result in the anti-skid chain slipping olf of the tire.

In applying the anti-skid -chaih of this invention to the tire, the preformed stiff wire is first arranged on the grease? inside of the tire and the snap hook 25 is connected t0 the eye 22 or one lo-r the other of the links 24, depending u-pon the size yof the tire, for connecting together the end-s of the stiff wire 14. Because the Wire 14 is stii and preformed, this operation is readily and simply performed. The chains 16 are extended over the tread of the tire and then the snap hook 32 is connected to the -eye 28 for securing together the ends of the preformed stiff wire 15. This operation may also be readily performed. In so doing, the spring 30 is stretched within the limits determined by the cable 33 to `apply tension to the stiff wire 15 and to hold the chains 16 snugly against the ltire. As the tire is rota-ted at reasonable speeds, the chains 16 are held against the tire but as the speed of rotation oi the tire increases to a high value, the spring 30 will additionally stretch to allow lthe cha-ins 16 to separate a slight amount from the tire. The extent of such slight separation is limited by the catble 33 which limits the extent of stretching of the spring 30. Because the spacers 19 are closely wound coil springs, a slight amount of movement -of the chains 16 along the stiff wires 14 and 15 is permitted and at the same time, excessive movement is prevented. This effectively prevents the chains from positioning themselves to points wherein the anti-skid `chain of this invention may inadvertently slip ott the tire and the prevention of this excessive slipping of the chains is also laided by the spring 30 and -the cable 33. The anti-skid chain may be simply and quickly removed from t-he tire merely by detaching the snap hooks 25 -and 31.

While for pu-rposes of illustration one lform of this invention has .been disclosed, other forms thereof may Ibecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope oi the appended claims.

yI claim as my invention:

1. -An anti-skid chain for automotive vehicle tires comprising a first stiff wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and adapted to be located on one side of the tire, a -second stiif wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and adapted to be located on the other side of the tire, a plurality of chains pivotally and slidably connected at their `ends to the two stili wires and adapted to overlie the tread of the tire, a plurality of slightly resilient spacers slidably located on the two stiff wires and interposed and extending between successive chains for spacing the chains along the ltwo stii wires, means includ-ing a snap hook for detachably connecting together the ends `or" the first stii wire, an eye formed on each end of the second stift wire, a coil spring -secured `att one end to one of the eyes, a snap hook secured to the other end of the coil spring for detachably receiving the other eye lfor resiliently and detachably securing together the ends of the second stiff wire, and a cable connecting together said lirst eye and fthe lsnap hook to limit the extent of -stretching of the coil spring. f

2. An anti-skid chain for Aautomotive vehicle tires comprising a rst stii wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and adapted to be located on one side of the tire, a second stiff wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and 'adapted to be located on the other side of the tire, ya plurality of chains pivotally and slidably connected at their ends to the `two stii wires and adapted to overlie the tread of the tire, .a plurality of lspacers slidably located on the two stiff wires and interposed and extending Ibetween successive chains for spacing the chains along the two stii wires, an eye formed on each end of rt-he first stiff Wire, a plurality of links secured -to .one of the eyes, a snap hook secured to the other' eye and ldetachably receiving one of the links for adjustably and detachably securing together the ends of the first stiff wire, an eye formed on each end of the second stiff wire, la coil yspring secured at one end to one of the eyes, a snap hook secured to the other end of the. coil spring for detachably receiving the other eye `for resiliently and detachably securing together the ends of the second stii wire, and a cable connecting together said iirst eye and the snap hook to limit the extent of .stretching of the Coil spring.

3. An anti-skid chain for lautomotive vehicle tires comprising a iirst stiff wire preformed into a substantially circular conguration and adapted to be located on one side of the tire, a second stiff wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration and adapted to be located on the other side of the tire, a plurality of chains Ipivotally and slid-ably connected at their ends Ito the two stii wires and adapted to overlie Ithe tread of the tire, a plural-ity of slightly resilient spacers, each comprising a closely wound coil spring, slidably located on the two stili wires and interposed and extending between successive chains for resiliently spacing the chains along the two stiff wires and limiting the amount of movement of the chains therealong, an eye formed on each lend of the first stiff wire, a plurality of links secured to one of the eyes, a snap hook secured lto the other eye and detachably receiving one of the links for adjustably and detachably lsecuring together Ithe ends of the rst Stift wire, an eye formed on each end rof the second stiff wire, a coil spring secured at yone end tto one of the eyes, a snap hook secured to the other end of the coil spring for detachably receiving the other eye for resiliently and detachably securing together the ends o the second stiff wire, and a cable connecting together sa'id yfirst eye and the snap hook to limit the extent of stretching of the coil spring.

4. In an anti-skid chain for automotive vehicle tires having a stit wire preformed into a substantially circular configuration for carrying in spaced apart relation la plurality of chains, and an eye formed on each end of the -stii wire, the combination of a coil spring secured at one end to one of the eyes, a snap hook secured to the, other end of the coil spring for detachably receiv, ingthe other eye, and a cable connecting together said Viirst eye and the snap hook to 'limit the extent of stretching of the coil spring.

i References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Newman Jan. 10, 1950 war- 

